title: Training and experience of nurses in responding to alcohol misuse in rural communities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alcohol misuse by farmers continues to challenge rural nurses. This article reports on the experiences of Australian nurses participating in the Alcohol Intervention Training Program (AITP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative interviews of 15 rural and remote nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured phone interviews were utilized to assess the response to and implementation of the AITP-an intervention designed to build nurses' knowledge, confidence and skills when responding to alcohol misuse. It comprises practical and theoretical components and was designed for rural and remote settings where nurses encounter alcohol misuse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nurses found the training provided new-or built on existing-knowledge of alcohol misuse and offered practical hands-on "real life" skills. A range of workplace and personal situations where the content of the training was now being utilized were identified, and future use anticipated. Barriers to using the new knowledge and skills included both rural and generic issues. Constructive feedback to increasingly target the training to rural settings was recommended.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AITP is an effective training program. It can be further tailored to meet common needs of rural and remote nurses working with farmers who misuse alcohol, while recognizing diversity in rural practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia. alison.kennedy@wdhs.net
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mellor
authors.forename: Marita P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: Lina A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ricciardelli
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Brumby
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Head
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mercer-Grant
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000451:nursing*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019035:Rural Health Services; D020377:Self Efficacy
keywords: alcohol; community health nursing; mental health; rural health; training program